Civilian deaths rise in Afghanistan

The number of civilians killed in the Afghan conflict rose 25 per cent in the first six months of the year, according to a UN report.

Insurgents are being held responsible for the spike in violence but there are still fears this will undermine the war effort.

Staffan De Mistura, top UN envoy in Afghanistan addressed a news conference explaining that the human cost of the conflict is rising.

"Afghan civilian casualties have increased by 31 per cent over the same period last year in 2009," he said.

The Afghan government was quick to react with President Hamid Karzai's spokesman describing the results as "shocking."

"The war against terrorism will not lead to a result here: the bases of terrorism, sources of terrorism, the training and equipping of terrorism, all the sources which cause terrorism to increase in the region are outside of Afghanistan," said Waheed Omar.

The report did show a reduction in civilian casualties from Nato action, but the overall rise in deaths indicated that the war is getting ever-more violent.

According to the report, 1,271 Afghans died and 1,997 were injured, mostly from bombings, in the first six months of the year.

The UN said insurgents were responsible for 72 per cent of the deaths, up from 58 per cent last year.

The British government said that their role in the region was about protecting civilians:

"This contrasts directly with the insurgents, whose indiscriminate use of suicide bombs, roadside explosives and human shields cause the majority of civilian deaths."

Meanwhile, hours after the report was presented to the media, two suicide bombers attacked a residential area in central Kabul, killing at least three people.